Tangled webs
by goldenbubbles
Summary: Harry and Cho get together but Malfoy stands in their way. Will they rialise their feelings for each other before it's too late? Romantic get together
1. Chapter 1

**Love vs. Pure Blood**

Chapter 1 – First love

After lunch, Harry Ron and Hermione walked down to the dungeons, took their usual seats at the back of the classroom and took out their potions ingredients. Snape swept inside, slamming the door behind him as he strode to the front of the class.

'Today we will be making a complex potion which I doubt many of you will be successful in creating,' he said, looking purposefully at Harry, 'It is called Morphordia, and will allow the drinker to render themselves temporarily invisible. If you aren't careful, your potion may well make you vanish completely from this earth indefinitely. You have two hours. Start.'

Ron gave Harry a sideways glance and muttered, 'you'd better make yours good mate, I wouldn't put it past Snape to slip you some of your potion. He'd love for you to vanish completely.'

Harry grinned and used his wand tip to create a crackling fire underneath his cauldron.

After ten minutes of silent work, Harry sat down to chop his billysprouts and said to Ron and Hermione, 'What about this ball thingy eh? Know who you want to go with?'

For some reason both Hermione and Ron went scarlet.

'No idea,' Squeaked Hermione.

'Er...just well, you know, I thought I might ask…nah I'm being stupid,' stammered Ron.

'Who?' asked Harry.

'Well, I mean there's no harm in asking her I suppose. It's Fleur.' said Ron going even redder.

Harry and Hermione both suppressed grins.

'Well what about you Harry?' said Ron, rapidly changing the subject.

'Oh come on Ron. It's obvious who Harry want to go with.' said Hermione.

'It is?' said Harry in surprise.

'Well of course,' Hermione replied, 'You've fancied Cho for ages haven't you? I've seen the way you look at her.'

'Oh, er right, I guess it is obvious,' Said Harry. 'I'd love to go with her but she's bound to go with someone like pretty-boy Diggory. Why would she go with me?'

The three friends had obviously not kept their voices low enough, because at these words, Draco Malfoy turned round from the row in front.

'You're asking Chang out Potter?' He hissed, 'Let me know when you do it, I want to be there, it'll be the best laugh I have all year, you've got no chance.'

'Shut your mouth and mind your own business Malfoy.' said Ron, heatedly.

'Ohhh Weasley, are you jealous that your boyfriend doesn't want to go to the ball with you?' said Malfoy.

Ron lunged forwards and grabbed the front of Malfoy's robes just as Snape walked past.

'Detention Weasley, I do not tolerate fighting in my class.' He said.

Fuming, Ron let go of Malfoy, who turned back to his potion, smirking.

Half an hour later, they stepped out of the dungeon and made their way up to the great hall for dinner. Just as they reached the entrance hall, Harry spotted Cho walking down the spiral staircase. Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and steered him into the great hall, leaving Harry and Cho alone together.

'Hi Cho,' said Harry, feeling self conscious of all the people walking past into dinner.

'Hi Harry, How are you?' she replied.

'Oh, you know, alright considering I just had double potions.'

'Yeah I've heard that professor Snape isn't keen on you.'

'Not keen is a very huge understatement.'

Cho giggled and said, 'Are you looking forward to the Hogsmeade visit tomorrow?'

'Yeah, it'll be nice to get out of the castle,' he said, 'actually, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me?'

'Oh Harry I'd love to!'

'Great. That's really great. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then.'

'Yeah, see you tomorrow.'

Harry walked through to the great hall with a big grin on his face and enjoyed his shepherd's pie much more than he normally would have done.

The next morning Harry awoke and dressed and went down to breakfast with Ron and Hermione. He was too nervous to eat, and only just managed to gulp down a goblet of pumpkin juice.

Fred and George sat down opposite them and helped themselves to huge portions of bacon and eggs.

'Not hungry Harry?' asked George.

Before Harry could speak, Ron said, 'He's got a date with Cho Chang today.'

Fred let out a long, low whistle. 'How did you manage that mate? Cho's one of the best looking girls in school!'

'I dunno really,' said Harry, 'maybe she wasn't thinking straight when she agreed to go with me, what if she's regretting it?' he said, now starting to panic.

'Don't be silly Harry, you've got lots of great qualities, why wouldn't Cho be interested?' consoled Hermione.

Harry stood up and said, 'I guess I just have to go for it,' before striding towards the entrance hall.

'Good luck!' the others called after him.

Cho was already in the entrance hall, waiting for Harry, looking extremely pretty, but nervous. Harry walked up to her.

'Hello,' he said.

'Hi,' she replied, looking suddenly happier, 'I thought you weren't going to make it.'

'I wouldn't have missed this for the world.' He said.

She smiled at him shyly and they made their way through the grounds and down the winding lane to Hogsmeade.

Harry was surprised at how easily the conversation flowed as they were soon having a heated discussion about which team was better at quidditch, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

They walked straight into The Three Broomsticks and Cho sat down while Harry went to buy two butterbeers.

They were soon talking again when a small boy approached their table. He looked too young to go to Hogwarts so Harry assumed he must live in the village.

'You're Harry Potter aren't you?' he asked.

'Er, yeah,' he said.

'Can I have your autograph please?'

Harry felt his face flush. Why did this always have to happen to him?

'I don't have a quill, sorry,' he said to the boy, trying to get rid of him.

'You can borrow mine,' Cho said, quickly rummaging in her bag.

Harry quickly signed the piece of parchment the boy was holding, who, looking delighted went off to show his mother.

Harry handed the quill back to Cho who put it back into her bag.

'Oh no!' she cried, 'I just broke it. That was my favourite quill!'

She sighed. 'I've got to go and send an owl. Why don't I do that and meet you back here and we can walk back up to the castle?'

'OK,' said Harry, thinking that it hadn't been the best date so far.

He watched Cho walk away and then turned and walked in the opposite direction, entering a small quill shop. A sales assistant in blue robes approached him.

'Can I help you sir?' he asked.

'Yeah,' said Harry, 'I'm looking for a quill, a fancy one.'

'Well step this way, we have a large selection of peacock quills.'

'Great thanks.'

He chose a large pink and gold peacock quill that came in a smart black box with a pot of colour changing ink.

He walked out of the shop and back up to The Three Broomsticks to meet Cho.

They walked back up to Hogwarts in silence, only commenting on the weather and the merits of butterbeer over pumpkin juice.

When they reached the entrance hall Harry said 'I've bought you a present.'

Cho opened the box and gasped with delight, 'Oh Harry its wonderful thank you! I've had a really lovely time with you today.'

'Me too,' said Harry.

She turned to walk down the corridor leading to the Ravenclaw common room and Harry started towards the marble staircase.

'Oh and Harry?' she called.

'Yeah?' he said, turning around.

'If you ask me to the Yule ball, I might say yes.'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Betrayal

After breakfast the next morning, Harry walked through the great hall, towards the entrance hall in order to go to care of magical creatures. He stopped just short of the door as he saw, to his surprise, Cho and Malfoy talking. They were standing at the foot of the marble staircase. Harry was too far away to hear what they were saying, but he saw Malfoy say something to Cho and put his hand on her arm and Cho laughed.

Harry stormed down through the front doors and down to Hagrid's cabin. He knew he didn't have any right to be angry. He didn't own Cho, she could talk to anyone she liked. This thought, however, didn't help him thinking why Malfoy?

They were still dealing with the Skrewts and Hagrid had decided that the time was ripe to try and get them to mate.

'I thought we could try an' breed 'em see?' he said to the class.

'Oh great,' said Malfoy loudly, 'If there are any more of them, they might attack me and then I wouldn't be able to escort my date Cho Chang to the Yule ball.' His eyes flashed menacingly in Harry's direction.

That evening, back in the common room, Harry sat by the fire, staring into the flames.

'C'mon mate. If she would stoop so low as to go with Malfoy then she's not worth the bother, you can get someone else, you're a triwizard champion! You're the boy who lived!'

'I don't want someone else,' he said, speaking for the first time in hours.

'I just don't understand why she would say yes to Malfoy the day after telling you she wanted to go with you,' said Hermione, 'it makes no sense!'

'Hey listen, I've got it,' said Ron excitedly, 'maybe Malfoy put Cho under the imperious curse!'

'Let's just face it,' said Harry gloomily, 'she prefers Malfoy to me, end of story. I don't even know why I thought I had a chance with her in the first place.'

Over the next few days Harry didn't run into Cho or Malfoy, for which he was thankful. He didn't feel like he could take any more humiliation.

It was three days before the Yule ball and Harry knew that he'd have to find a dance partner, but he just couldn't bring himself to ask anyone else.

After Hermione reminded him that time was running out, for the third time, he left the common room and went up to the owlery to send bread and cakes to Sirius. He watched Hedwig soar out over the clouds and turned to leave, running headlong into Cho.

'Hello Harry,' she said coldly, brushing past him and quickly tying a letter onto one of the school barn owls legs.

'Why haven't you spoken to me since Hogsmeade?' she asked him, 'You made me feel like an idiot.'

'What are you talking about?' he said to her, 'you're the one who hasn't been talking to me.'

'I told you I wanted to go to the ball with you, and you just left me not knowing what was happening between us.'

'Only for one day!' he retorted, 'that doesn't mean you should take up the offer of any guy who comes along. I don't have time for your games Cho.' He said angrily and walked past her, down the steps.

'Wait Harry!' she called, but he had already gone.

Harry stormed into the nearest boy's bathroom and stared into the mirror, glaring angrily at his reflection. Two slytherin second years walked in, chatting.

'Malfoy is so lucky, did you hear he's going to the ball with Cho Chang?' said the first.

'Yeah, I know. Although she is in Ravenclaw…' said the second.

Harry left. He could feel hot tears prickling his eyes but wouldn't let them fall. Why did girls have to be so frustrating?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 –Misunderstandings

On Christmas Eve, Harry trudged through the thick snow to the quidditch pitch.

'I know it's freezing and I know it's nearly Christmas,' Oliver Wood said to the team, 'but let's make this practice count.'

They all took the skies. As Harry soared upwards on his firebolt, his thoughts and anger about Cho and Malfoy were left on the ground. There was nothing like quidditch for clearing his head.

As Katie, Angelina and Alicia tried to score through the hoops Wood was protecting, and Fred and George tried to knock them off their brooms, Harry flew high above, searching for the snitch.

After half an hour it began to get dark and Harry was almost giving up hope of catching sight of the tiny, golden ball. Then, quick as a flash, he saw it. He sped toward the goalposts; fingers outstretched and clasped his hand around the struggling snitch.

Someone from the stands cheered. Harry whipped around and saw Cho, sitting alone.

He flew over to her.

'What are you doing here?' He asked her coldly, 'no spectators allowed.'

'I came to see you,' she said.

'Well maybe I don't want to be seen,' he said, mounting his broom and preparing to fly off.

'Harry, wait,' she called, 'please. I don't understand why you're angry with me.'

'Hmmm, let me think, maybe because you messed me around and broke my heart!' He kicked the ground hard and flew away from her.

'Harry!' she yelled, 'Harry, go to the ball with me?'

He stopped abruptly.

'You think you're really special don't you? You think you can have any boy you want. Well you can't. I'm not sharing you with Draco Malfoy for anything!'

'Practice over!' Wood called.

Harry flew quickly away from Cho to join the rest of the team.

'What was all that about Harry?' asked George.

'Nothing,' said Harry, 'it doesn't matter.

'Girl troubles,' Fred laughed.

'Something like that,' said Harry, sadly.

The rest of the team slowly left to go back up to the castle. Harry stayed behind putting away the ball crate.

'Harry,' said a voice.

He turned around to see Cho standing in the doorway.

'Can I come in? It's starting to rain.'

'Do what you like.'

'I never meant to hurt you Harry,' she said.

'Of course you didn't. No one would have ever imagined that you agreeing to go to the ball with my enemy would hurt me.'

'You enemy?' she said looking confused, 'Harry, what are you talking about?'

'Oh don't play dumb, Cho. You're going to the ball with Draco Malfoy, I heard it straight from his mouth, everyone's talking about it!'

'Well maybe you shouldn't believe everything you hear. I'm not going with Malfoy.'

'Whatever,' he said, striding past her and out of the door.

The rain was pounding down heavily now and he was drenched within seconds. Cho ran after him.

'I hate Draco! Why would I go with him?'

Harry spun around

'You seemed pretty cosy with him that morning in the entrance hall.'

'Cosy? That was the day he asked me to go with him and I turned him down.'

'It didn't look like that to me. He touched your arm and you were laughing with him.'

'He asked me out and I laughed _at_ him! Not _with_ him! Harry you have to believe me.'

Cho was crying now, tears falling in rivers down her face, mingling with the rain.

'I only ever wanted to go with you.'

'So why is everyone saying that you're going with Malfoy?'

'He must have spread the rumour. You know that he'd do anything to hurt you.'

'I thought you were messing me around'

'Never'

Harry brushed Cho's tears away with his hand and took a step closer to her.

'So who are you going to the ball with?'

'No one'

'Cho, you're the best looking girl in school. Are you trying to tell me no one has asked you?'

'People have asked me, but I'd rather go alone than with anyone other than you.'

'In that case, with you go to the ball with me?'

'Yes' she said breathlessly.

Harry brushed her wet hair behind her ear and held her close to stop her shivering. He wrapped his cloak around her. He tilted her chin upwards and bent his head towards her face.

'You make me happier than I ever thought I could be,' he whispered, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

He kissed her softly on the lips, rivers of rain running down both of their faces.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – The Yule ball

Harry awoke on Christmas day, deliriously happy. He scrambled to the foot of his bed and started ripping opening his presents. On hearing this, Ron woke too.

'Wow Harry, thanks for the new dress robes! I can wear them tonight instead of those mouldy old ones mum bought me!'

'It's alright, thanks for the dung bombs, mate!'

Harry also received a book on dark and defensive magic from Hermione, a small, furry object that was purring from Hagrid, a new jumper and a large box of mince pies from Mrs Weasley and a safety pin from the Dursleys. There was also a rectangular shaped present at the foot of his bed.

'Who's that one from?' asked Ron

'Dunno, I wasn't expecting any more presents'

He looked at the label. It was from Cho.

He ripped open the present and found a painting in a silver frame.

'Wow! Did Cho do that?' asked Ron.

'She must have, it's incredible.' said Harry.

The painting was a portrait of Harry, Ron and Hermione smiling up from the frame. Harry pinned it to the wall.

They whiled away the day playing wizards chess and having a furious snowball fight in the grounds until seven o'clock when they all went back up to their dormitories to get changed for the ball.

'I suppose we'd better go and meet the girls soon,' said Ron.

'Girls?' said Harry, 'are you going with someone?'

'Yeah. I asked her last week and she said yes.'

'Why didn't you tell me? Who is it?'

'Well you were upset about Cho, I didn't want to rub it in your face that I had a date. Its Fleur' said Ron, a huge grin spreading over his face.

'Wow congratulations mate!'

They walked down to the entrance hall and Fleur walked up to them.

'Hi Ron.'

'Hi Fleur. You look really beautiful tonight,' Ron said.

'Thanks, shall we go in?'

'Ok. I'll see you in a bit Harry.'

Harry was craning his neck, searching for Cho in the crowd. He saw Draco Malfoy walk past with a load of other slytherins, in black velvet robes.

Soon the entrance hall emptied, but Harry still couldn't find Cho.

'Make your way to the great hall please Potter,' Professor McGonagall told him.

'I'll be there soon; I'm just waiting for someone.'

'Well hurry up,' she said and walked off.

Harry was about to give up hope of Cho turning up until he saw her at the top of the marble staircase. She looked stunning in robes of deep turquoise and silver with a turquoise flower in her hair. She walked shyly down the stairs to Harry, who kissed her lightly on the cheek.

'You look beautiful, Cho.' He said.

'Come on,' she said, 'we're going to be late.'

They went into the great hall and took their seats at the top table with the other teachers and champions. They chatted over their roast chicken until their plates were clean and it was time to dance. The weird sisters took to the stage to rapturous applause and struck up a slow tune. They walked to the dance floor and Harry took Cho's waist. The revolved slowly on the spot until many other couples had joined tem on the dance floor.

After ten songs they were both exhausted and went to get drinks.

'Shall we go outside?' asked Harry.

'Good idea, I'm boiling.'

Outside, in the magical ice garden, Harry and Cho walked hand in hand through the ice sculptures and fairy bushes.

All too soon the ball was over and all the students milled around the entrance hall, saying goodnight to their partners.

Malfoy was walking past with Crabbe and Goyle.

'Nice robes Potter,' he smirked, 'pity you've got the ugly Chang hanging off them.'

Harry started towards Malfoy angrily, but Cho held him back.

'At least Harry has got a date, other than Crabbe and Goyle that is, and didn't have to make up that he had someone to go with,' she said, 'jokes on you Malfoy.'

Malfoy glared at them both and then swept around in the direction of the dungeons with Crabbe and Goyle at his heels.

Laughing, Harry and Co turned back to face each other.

'I've had the best night of my life tonight' said Cho.

'Me too.'

'Goodnight Harry'

'Goodnight Cho, I love you'

'I love you too'

They kissed goodnight before Harry walked up the marble staircase towards Gryffindor tower. He stopped just short of the portrait hole because there were a couple kissing in front of it, blocking his way. The boys flaming red hair told him that it was Ron and Fleur.

'I've 'ad a lovely time tonight Ron' said Fleur.

'Yeah me too,' said Ron breathlessly.

'Maybe you could visit me in the Beauxbaton carriage sometime?'

'Yeah, I'd love to'

'Goodnight' she said and walked away, smiling at Harry.

They climbed into the dormitory and into bed.

'Wow, what a night,' sighed Ron.

'Tell me about it,' said Harry, 'I have a question though. What happened to Hermione? I didn't see her there.'

Ron smiled 'She was with Viktor Krum. Who would have thought it eh? Us three getting the most sought after dates in the school!'

'I know, it's been one crazy year.'


End file.
